Gottlob philipp



G. PHILIPP.

PIANO ACTION.

(No Model.)

Patented P01147, 18 82.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOTTLOB PHILIPI, OF FORST-IN-THE-LAUSITZ, GERMANY.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,421, dated February '7, 1882,

Application filed November 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GorrLoE PHTLIPP, of Forst-in-the-Lausitz, Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Actions for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

The invention consists in a novel construction of a combined check and repeatingdevice.

It also consists in anovel means for 'regulating and actuating the damperfrom the front of an upright-piano action.

The invention also consists in a novel means of working a check so that it will act rapidly and directly at the end of theblow of the hainmer, and which is hereinafter fully explained.

The invention also consists in a novel arrangement of a spring in a horizontal pianoforte action which serves to counteract the gravity of the hammer and jack, and a screw for adjusting the spring to regulate its tension.

In the accompanying drawings7 Figure l represents my improvements applied to an upright-pianoforte action, and Fig. 2 represents the improvements applied to a horizontalpiano-forte action.

Similar letters of reference designate correspondin g parts iu both the figures.

Referring first to Fig. 1, A designates the key, B designates the hammerrail, to which the hammers C aresecured by hammer-flan ges a, and b designates the string.

Upon the key A is secured the jack bottom or,'piece c, and d designates a jack which operates on a pivoted lever, c. The upper end of the jack dfits against or in a cushion, c', on the under sideof the lever e, and the lower end ot' the jack is provided'withapin which enters a lined or cushioned slot or hole in the end of the jack-bottom c. rlhe jackd is thereforereadily removable, and is adapted towork with the least amount of friction.

The hammer C is operated from the lever c by a jack or hopper, f; and c2 designates an upright bar or piece tixed in the lever c and adapted to bear against a cushioned screw, j", in the jack or hopper j'. At or near the termination of the blow of the hammer the ba'r or piece e2 bears upon the screw j" and insures precision and force in the blow of the hammer. In the downward movement ofthe lever c the bar c2 moves rapidlyawayfrom the screw j" to allow the mechanism to act freelyin letting off the hammer.

In front of thejack fis a spriug, f2, and when the lever c recedes or moves downward this springfzpresses the jack finto its original position and keeps it there. This mechanism adapts itself perfectly to the requirements of the playing, and causes the jack or hopper f to repeat even in rapid performance. Then the key A recedes, even very slightly, while the playing is slow, the said mechanism will eiiect the repetition very quietly, so that no rapping or violent concussion can take place at the lower end of thejacl; or hopperf, where it rests on the cushion c3 on the lever c. A coupling, c4, between the bar or piece c2 and the jack or hopper f prevents the too sudden separation of the bar or piece c2 from the said jack or hopper. This repeating action is regulated by the screw g. and as the friction of the parts above described is reduced to a minimum and there is no possibility of the movable parts being separated from each other, the necessity for subsequent regulation is altogether avoided. The lever e also carries an upright bar or piece, h, and when it is raised the said bar or piece presses the jack h backward, and thereby causes the screw h2, which is inserted through an arm, h3, on said jaeleto act on the wire lever t' for withdrawing the damper D. The regulation of the damper is effected by turning the screw h2. The fortestop j, which is actuated from the pedal, simply presses on the wire lever At' and causes the damper to be lifted or moved away from the string. The inclined end of the bar or piece h and of the jack or piece l1.' causes the latter to move slowly at first and then rapidly, and thus the check-piece j', fixed on the piece h', moves rapidly and catches the hammer when it is released.

Referring now to Fig. 2, A designates the key, B the hammer-rail, C the hammer, a the hammer-Harige, and b the string, as before described. lhe jack-bottom c differs from the one shownin Fig. l, in that it hasalined notch, 7l', and the lever c is similar to the one shown in Fig. 1, but differs from that in having lugs 7s' on its under side. rIhe jack d fits removably in the notch 7c and between the lugs k'. rllhe jack d is unconnected with the jackbot- IOO 

